Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to re-establish the Standards Board for England.
Answered by Luke Hall
The Localism Act 2011 abolished the Standards Board for England and decentralised responsibility for maintaining high ethical standards to local authorities. Local authorities must adopt a code of conduct for elected and co-opted members consistent with the ‘Nolan’ principles of selflessness, honesty, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness and leadership.
Abolishing the Standards Board and devolving responsibility for ethical standards has encouraged local authorities to take ownership for building and maintaining a culture of high ethical standards. It has also provided the flexibility and discretion to resolve standards issues informally where appropriate and to tailor procedures to their specific circumstances. The Government has no plans to re-establish the Standards Board for England or to reimpose a central code of conduct on local authorities.
The Localism Act 2011 also requires local authorities to put in place procedures for considering complaints where members are alleged to have breached the code of conduct, including appointing an independent person to advise the authority before it decides on an allegation. As it is for individual local authorities to determine their own complaints procedures, it would not be appropriate for the Government to investigate individual complaints against members of a local authority.
If a member of the public has a concern about the actions, decisions or conduct of their local authority, they should first look to use the authority’s formal complaints system. If they remain unsatisfied, an individual can ask the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman to investigate cases where they are alleged to have suffered personal injustice arising from maladministration by a local authority.
My department has responsibility for the core Local Authority Governance & Accountability Framework, for ensuring that it is functioning effectively and contains the right checks and balances. The Committee on Standards in Public Life’s Report on Ethical Standards in Local Government affirms that there is a willingness and capacity to uphold the highest standards of conduct amongst local government in England. The Report makes a number of?recommendations to strengthen the standards and conduct system for local government. The Government is carefully considering the report and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has plans to reimpose a code of conduct for elected and co-opted members of local authorities.
Answered by Luke Hall
The Localism Act 2011 abolished the Standards Board for England and decentralised responsibility for maintaining high ethical standards to local authorities. Local authorities must adopt a code of conduct for elected and co-opted members consistent with the ‘Nolan’ principles of selflessness, honesty, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness and leadership.
Abolishing the Standards Board and devolving responsibility for ethical standards has encouraged local authorities to take ownership for building and maintaining a culture of high ethical standards. It has also provided the flexibility and discretion to resolve standards issues informally where appropriate and to tailor procedures to their specific circumstances. The Government has no plans to re-establish the Standards Board for England or to reimpose a central code of conduct on local authorities.
The Localism Act 2011 also requires local authorities to put in place procedures for considering complaints where members are alleged to have breached the code of conduct, including appointing an independent person to advise the authority before it decides on an allegation. As it is for individual local authorities to determine their own complaints procedures, it would not be appropriate for the Government to investigate individual complaints against members of a local authority.
If a member of the public has a concern about the actions, decisions or conduct of their local authority, they should first look to use the authority’s formal complaints system. If they remain unsatisfied, an individual can ask the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman to investigate cases where they are alleged to have suffered personal injustice arising from maladministration by a local authority.
My department has responsibility for the core Local Authority Governance & Accountability Framework, for ensuring that it is functioning effectively and contains the right checks and balances. The Committee on Standards in Public Life’s Report on Ethical Standards in Local Government affirms that there is a willingness and capacity to uphold the highest standards of conduct amongst local government in England. The Report makes a number of?recommendations to strengthen the standards and conduct system for local government. The Government is carefully considering the report and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department has taken to promote high ethical standards in local government since the abolition of the Standards Board for England.
Answered by Luke Hall
The Localism Act 2011 abolished the Standards Board for England and decentralised responsibility for maintaining high ethical standards to local authorities. Local authorities must adopt a code of conduct for elected and co-opted members consistent with the ‘Nolan’ principles of selflessness, honesty, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness and leadership.
Abolishing the Standards Board and devolving responsibility for ethical standards has encouraged local authorities to take ownership for building and maintaining a culture of high ethical standards. It has also provided the flexibility and discretion to resolve standards issues informally where appropriate and to tailor procedures to their specific circumstances. The Government has no plans to re-establish the Standards Board for England or to reimpose a central code of conduct on local authorities.
The Localism Act 2011 also requires local authorities to put in place procedures for considering complaints where members are alleged to have breached the code of conduct, including appointing an independent person to advise the authority before it decides on an allegation. As it is for individual local authorities to determine their own complaints procedures, it would not be appropriate for the Government to investigate individual complaints against members of a local authority.
If a member of the public has a concern about the actions, decisions or conduct of their local authority, they should first look to use the authority’s formal complaints system. If they remain unsatisfied, an individual can ask the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman to investigate cases where they are alleged to have suffered personal injustice arising from maladministration by a local authority.
My department has responsibility for the core Local Authority Governance & Accountability Framework, for ensuring that it is functioning effectively and contains the right checks and balances. The Committee on Standards in Public Life’s Report on Ethical Standards in Local Government affirms that there is a willingness and capacity to uphold the highest standards of conduct amongst local government in England. The Report makes a number of?recommendations to strengthen the standards and conduct system for local government. The Government is carefully considering the report and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department has taken to investigate complaints against members of local government since the abolition of the Standards Board for England.
Answered by Luke Hall
The Localism Act 2011 abolished the Standards Board for England and decentralised responsibility for maintaining high ethical standards to local authorities. Local authorities must adopt a code of conduct for elected and co-opted members consistent with the ‘Nolan’ principles of selflessness, honesty, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness and leadership.
Abolishing the Standards Board and devolving responsibility for ethical standards has encouraged local authorities to take ownership for building and maintaining a culture of high ethical standards. It has also provided the flexibility and discretion to resolve standards issues informally where appropriate and to tailor procedures to their specific circumstances. The Government has no plans to re-establish the Standards Board for England or to reimpose a central code of conduct on local authorities.
The Localism Act 2011 also requires local authorities to put in place procedures for considering complaints where members are alleged to have breached the code of conduct, including appointing an independent person to advise the authority before it decides on an allegation. As it is for individual local authorities to determine their own complaints procedures, it would not be appropriate for the Government to investigate individual complaints against members of a local authority.
If a member of the public has a concern about the actions, decisions or conduct of their local authority, they should first look to use the authority’s formal complaints system. If they remain unsatisfied, an individual can ask the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman to investigate cases where they are alleged to have suffered personal injustice arising from maladministration by a local authority.
My department has responsibility for the core Local Authority Governance & Accountability Framework, for ensuring that it is functioning effectively and contains the right checks and balances. The Committee on Standards in Public Life’s Report on Ethical Standards in Local Government affirms that there is a willingness and capacity to uphold the highest standards of conduct amongst local government in England. The Report makes a number of?recommendations to strengthen the standards and conduct system for local government. The Government is carefully considering the report and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department has taken to monitor and maintain standards amongst members of local government since the abolition of the Standards Board for England.
Answered by Luke Hall
The Localism Act 2011 abolished the Standards Board for England and decentralised responsibility for maintaining high ethical standards to local authorities. Local authorities must adopt a code of conduct for elected and co-opted members consistent with the ‘Nolan’ principles of selflessness, honesty, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness and leadership.
Abolishing the Standards Board and devolving responsibility for ethical standards has encouraged local authorities to take ownership for building and maintaining a culture of high ethical standards. It has also provided the flexibility and discretion to resolve standards issues informally where appropriate and to tailor procedures to their specific circumstances. The Government has no plans to re-establish the Standards Board for England or to reimpose a central code of conduct on local authorities.
The Localism Act 2011 also requires local authorities to put in place procedures for considering complaints where members are alleged to have breached the code of conduct, including appointing an independent person to advise the authority before it decides on an allegation. As it is for individual local authorities to determine their own complaints procedures, it would not be appropriate for the Government to investigate individual complaints against members of a local authority.
If a member of the public has a concern about the actions, decisions or conduct of their local authority, they should first look to use the authority’s formal complaints system. If they remain unsatisfied, an individual can ask the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman to investigate cases where they are alleged to have suffered personal injustice arising from maladministration by a local authority.
My department has responsibility for the core Local Authority Governance & Accountability Framework, for ensuring that it is functioning effectively and contains the right checks and balances. The Committee on Standards in Public Life’s Report on Ethical Standards in Local Government affirms that there is a willingness and capacity to uphold the highest standards of conduct amongst local government in England. The Report makes a number of?recommendations to strengthen the standards and conduct system for local government. The Government is carefully considering the report and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what routes are available for people to make complaints against local government to central Government.
Answered by Luke Hall
The Localism Act 2011 abolished the Standards Board for England and decentralised responsibility for maintaining high ethical standards to local authorities. Local authorities must adopt a code of conduct for elected and co-opted members consistent with the ‘Nolan’ principles of selflessness, honesty, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness and leadership.
Abolishing the Standards Board and devolving responsibility for ethical standards has encouraged local authorities to take ownership for building and maintaining a culture of high ethical standards. It has also provided the flexibility and discretion to resolve standards issues informally where appropriate and to tailor procedures to their specific circumstances. The Government has no plans to re-establish the Standards Board for England or to reimpose a central code of conduct on local authorities.
The Localism Act 2011 also requires local authorities to put in place procedures for considering complaints where members are alleged to have breached the code of conduct, including appointing an independent person to advise the authority before it decides on an allegation. As it is for individual local authorities to determine their own complaints procedures, it would not be appropriate for the Government to investigate individual complaints against members of a local authority.
If a member of the public has a concern about the actions, decisions or conduct of their local authority, they should first look to use the authority’s formal complaints system. If they remain unsatisfied, an individual can ask the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman to investigate cases where they are alleged to have suffered personal injustice arising from maladministration by a local authority.
My department has responsibility for the core Local Authority Governance & Accountability Framework, for ensuring that it is functioning effectively and contains the right checks and balances. The Committee on Standards in Public Life’s Report on Ethical Standards in Local Government affirms that there is a willingness and capacity to uphold the highest standards of conduct amongst local government in England. The Report makes a number of?recommendations to strengthen the standards and conduct system for local government. The Government is carefully considering the report and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Prime Minister, when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for North Herefordshire of 21 October 2020 on vaccine and therapeutics trials.
Answered by Boris Johnson
My office will ensure my Hon Friend receives a reply to his letter, sent to me and my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, shortly.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to penalise Herefordshire council for enabling Welsh Water to restrict housing development.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Nutrient enrichment is a significant pressure on many of our most important natural habitats, and it is the role of Herefordshire Council as a competent authority to determine whether proposals for new development would cause a significant adverse impact on these habitats sites, including the River Wye. Where development can demonstrate that no such impact would occur, for example through achieving nutrient neutrality and therefore not increasing existing pollution levels, the Council may grant planning permission. It is important to keep the planning system moving as much as we can, so that it is able to play its full part in the economic recovery to come, at both national and local levels, but we will continue to monitor the situation.
As set out in by the Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural affairs in his speech on 20 July, later this autumn we will be launching a new consultation on changing our approach to environmental assessment and mitigation in the planning system
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reasons the Marches LEP released Phase 1 funding for the New Model in Technology and Engineering university project in Herefordshire in August 2019 given that Local Growth Fund 3 was announced in March 2017.
Answered by Jake Berry
The award of Growth Deal 3 funding was announced in March 2017 providing a boost of £21.9 million for the Marches area, aimed at helping to create jobs, support businesses and encourage growth. This tranche of funding was expected to deliver a number of projects, which included proposals to provide capital support to the New Model in Technology and Engineering (NMiTE) University project in Herefordshire.
Since the deal was agreed, the Marches Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP) have been working with the NMiTE project to refine their proposal, further develop their business case, and engage with wider stakeholders. The LEP also provided development funding to the project to support the completion of the business case.
In October 2017, the Department for Education announced a further £15 million to support development of the faculty, campus and curriculum. Following this agreement, the NMITE project were able to develop their proposal further and in Autumn of 2018 a location for the first phase of development was identified.
This was followed in October 2019 by LEP confirmation of £2.34 million investment to fund the transformation of a former school into facilities for Hereford’s proposed new university.
The LEP continue to work with the NMiTE project as a member of their board and governance structure. The LEP have recently received a business case for the second phase of development, and discussions aimed at agreeing the next tranche of funding are ongoing.